The top story today is the 11.5% tax increase. It’s been pointed out that Wolfeboro’s tax rate is among the lowest, so I took a look at the rates of the 150 cities and towns that have been published so far by the state.

Looking good! $12.20 vs $20.47 average, life is good. So who gets the credit? Let’s break it down:

Town

School

State

County

Total

Wolfeboro

4.46

4.39

2.34

1.01

12.20

Average

5.24

10.79

2.41

2.02

20.47

I’ve heard people say that the schools get a free ride while town spending is subject to lots of scrutiny. I think these numbers explain why. Our town taxes are somewhat below the average, but look at the School District – 59% below the state average! It’s pretty clear why we have a low combined tax rate – a huge portion of our tax base is expensive seasonal homes that don’t use the school system.